Life in Japan #1

At avatarin, we work together as a team with a group of individuals who have different nationalities and backgrounds. Diversity is our strength. We respect one another regardless of our differences. In this “Meet our Team” series, we interviewed our team member about their “Life in Japan”!

 

 

◆ What made you decide to join avatarin?

I wanted to grow my professional skills and work in an international company.
I searched and found out that avatarin is a startup company from ANA Holdings. Since ANA is a one of the largest airline companies in Japan, I thought avatarin is a very reputed company and well-known from all around the world.
I think people who are working at avatarin are different compared to other Japanese companies. People from all around the world are working together on a new concept and developing new industry experiences.
avatarin’s product is strong because people all over the world can use it in many different situations, and it can help solve the mobility challenges. I thought I can grow my skill set and I can rise and shine in my career as the company grows.

 

 

◆ What do you find rewarding about your current job?

The current product that I am working on is a very new concept and it’s a great opportunity for me because we get to use new tools and technologies. We have varieties of choice in the workplace. We don’t need to stick to one specific thing or old technologies and tools. We can try out upgraded tools and technologies with our product. I feel like we are upgrading this industry, so that’s very rewarding for me.
I want to be better in my career and as a company. Every time I want to give my full, my best to this company and what I’m doing. Then eventually we can be the top. That’s the motivation I have.

 

 

◆ What do you like about Japanese culture?

I like Japanese people very much because they are polite and respectful. When I first came to Japan, I didn’t know how to get into the Japanese system. But everyone in my company helped me to get used to the Japanese lifestyle.
Also, the time management here is very efficient. Everything will be on time.
Another thing is that a lot of things are well prepared in Japan. Everything is prepared and you need to follow the rules exactly. If you need anything or you want to do something, there is a specific way to do it. So that was easy for me to fit into Japanese life.
And also in my childhood, I remember watching some old Japanese movies and TV series called “Oshin”. I also like Japanese animation, cartoons, and trains.

 

 

◆ What do you enjoy about living in Japan?

Japan is extremely convenient and super clean. You don’t need to worry if you lose something. I also remember one of my colleagues lost her wallet and she was able to find it after contacting the place where she left it.
And you will have a lot of options for food to try in Japan. There are not only Japanese but also different countries’ restaurants. If you go to the countryside you will find different varieties of food. It’s never-ending and I enjoy trying all kinds of food in Japan!
I also like the four seasons in Japan. In my country, we don’t really have a season. We just have hot weather throughout the year. Here the seasons are very good, for me, it’s not too cold, or too hot compared to my country.
You can try a lot of entertainment options and travel destinations in Japan. Still covering Tokyo and yet covering all around Japan. Here you’ll have so many places to go and things to do!

 

 

◆ What are some of the things that are different from how you imagined living in Japan and what are some of the difficulties you are facing?

I sometimes feel a language barrier, but now that Japan is an international country, I don’t especially feel much in Tokyo.
Sometimes I notice a little bit of more paperwork compared to other countries. Because my name is a little long, when I try to register something in Japan, the space for my name is not enough, so I have to use only one or two short names. Of Course, there is an online form but I can’t use it because I have to do it manually to fill the form.
Also, some people worry about natural disasters. In Japan, there are a lot of earthquakes. When I told my friends that I’m going to move to Japan, they were really worried about the earthquakes. After I came here I realized Japan is very prepared not only for earthquakes but also for every natural disaster. We don’t need to worry about those things.
One of the difficult things is the time of the last train. The last train is departing usually around 12:30 am. You need to be careful to catch the last train!

 

 

◆ What are you looking forward to learning or experiencing in Japan?

I want to travel all around Japan. And still, I haven’t visited the very south or north of Japan. Also, I want to try different foods. I want to try new technologies to improve our product. There are a lot of options that you can choose in sports, so I want to try golf and winter sports some day!